Cell Block Jango
by DittyWrites
Summary: Kylux Smuggler!AU. After a botched mission, Hux finds himself in jail and things only turn from bad to worse when he discovers that his cellmate is Han Solo. As they fight and drink away their problems, the pair start to bond over their lives while waiting for their partners to swoop in and save them. However, after Ren and Leia arrive, Ren is left with a difficult choice to make.
1. Cell Block Jango

"Move scum!" The jailor commanded and Hux felt the idiot shove his shoulder harshly as he was forced to walk down the long corridor. There was an uncomfortable stench of damp in the air and it caused him to scrunch his nose up slightly.

"Touch me again and I will kill you." Hux hissed in rage as he shrugged off the beasts grasp.

Being captured by these fools was bad enough but discovering that he did not have enough credits on him to bribe the fools into looking the other way was a travesty. Never in his life had Hux being forced to suffer the indignity of being jailed.

Jail was something which those beneath him faced.

But he had to be thankful that the jailor had no idea as to his true identity. If the beast became aware that he had the ex-General of the First Order, within his grasp then he would be in far more serious danger than he currently was.

A bounty of ten million credits on your head would be enough to put any man in danger.

True it would be difficult to tell from appearance alone who he was. His militaristic style of presentation and dress had been long abandoned. His red hair had been allowed to slightly grow out of its short style and was now long enough to be styled in a loose, sweeping manner which was very unlike its previous neatness. He had neglected his long-standing relationship with dark, sharp clothing and now elected for lighter toned fabrics which made blending in with crowds and different social groups much easier. Finally, he no longer kept a strict shaving regime and the reddish stubble which decorated his jaw gave him a further note of anonymity from his previous clean-shaven self and, if he was honest, he had come to appreciate the overall look which it had given him.

As had Ren.

Although still furious with his predicament, he couldn't help but smirk as he thought of his partner and the odd fascination which Ren had developed in relation to his stubble. He was certain that Ren used almost any opportunity he had to brush a hand over the prickly hair and Hux found it disgustingly endearing.

Ren had barely escaped being captured himself and Hux was sure that he was going to wait a day for the heat to die down before he attempted to free Hux from his current situation. Or so he hoped.

The pair of them had been on the run for over a year now and so far their freedom had remained relatively unchallenged. Their defection from the First Order had caused quite the scandal and Snoke himself had placed a ten million credit bounty on both of their heads. Thirty million if they were both captured and delivered to Snoke alive for what Hux could only assume would be weeks of extended torture before a very public execution. That bounty had been set only a few days after himself and Ren had escaped from Starkiller Base and Hux vaguely wondered why Snoke had not made an effort to raise the bounty considering how himself and Ren had been conducting themselves over the last year.

Stealing one of the most advanced ships from the base had presented no real difficulty given how high both himself and Ren's security clearances were, plus the fact that no one could have possibly suspected that they were fleeing from the base. They had very little time to make an actual plan of survival since their escape was mostly impromptu.

But this ship had turned out to be a very successful choice as it was powerful enough to make looting and destroying the various First Order ships which crossed their paths as they continued to smuggle their ill-gotten gains across the galaxy much easier than any craft which they could have picked up since.

It turned out to be quite the successful little operation.

Between the two of them there was virtually no other power in the galaxy who held a greater understanding of the First Order. After all, Hux had been responsible for organising and setting up the various trade routes which the Order used to move goods and cargo around. This knowledge was invaluable as it allowed him to work out exactly what each ship was carrying and what type of security protocols would be used to protect it. This, along with his natural skills as a negotiator meant that they made quite a comfortable living from their gains.

Even Hux himself was surprised to discover how much aptitude he had for being a smuggler.

He was less surprised by how well Ren seemed to take to the task. A childhood spent as the son of one of the most notorious smugglers the galaxy had seen saw Ren developing his skills as a smuggler at a truly impressive rate. He had the ability to recall childhood conversations he heard his father holding about various systems and the best locations for off-loading illegal goods and these had proven to be a great asset in their plans. His language skills were also more advanced that Hux's own and this had allowed them to escape more than one problematic situation which Hux was exceedingly thankful for.

These facts alone made them a power to be reckoned with. The addition of Hux's skills as a master tactician and his natural talent with his personalised blaster also gave him an advantage should they find themselves in a battle and this, coupled with the strength and skill with which Ren wielded his control of the force and his powers, made them virtually unstoppable as they traversed the galaxy.

The credits they made as a result of this set-up was of great benefit to the lifestyle which they had grown accustomed to but Hux knew that if they were honest then the thrill of the fight, of destroying First Order property, was the real reason why they continued their various assaults. The gains were simply a bonus.

Snoke had ordered Ren to kill him.

The First Order, which he had dedicated his very life to had betrayed him.

But Ren had instead spared his life and chose to leave with him. Evidentially, the love which had developed over their hidden year-long relationship was worth more to him that Snoke's apprenticeship and Hux would never deny the feelings which he had for the dark-haired man who had thrown his life away to save his own.

He was ripped from his musings by another hard shove on his shoulder as he was bodily pushed into one of the small cells. Keeping his furious gaze trained on the jailor, he watched as the cell door was secured and the beast started its journey back to the entrance area. Baring his teeth savagely as one final look was sent his way, he then turned his gaze to the lock which was keeping him imprisoned. Even with his casual glance he could tell that the lock would be unbreakable with the tools he had at his current disposal.

"Hey kid." Came an unexpected voice from behind him. In his anger, he had not realised that he had been placed in a cell which already contained another prisoner.

He whirled around in surprise, his sight landing on the older figure who was lounging on the bed in a casual fashion and watching him with bored eyes.

Any hope he had of keeping the look of shocked recognition from his expression was lost as he came face to face with the noted smuggler, alleged war hero and biological father to his current partner.

Han Solo.

x-x-x-x-x

"Han Solo!" Hux exclaimed in shock as he continued to stare. Of all the people in the galaxy whom he could have found himself in this situation with, this was one of the worst possible outcomes. He could feel the tension within his body sky-rocket as he quickly tried to assess the best way to approach this situation.

On the other side of the room, Han frowned slightly as the redhead in front of him said his name in obvious surprise. It was not the first time someone had recognised him but there was something familiar about the kid in front of him that was causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand up. "You know who I am? Good for you kid. Who are you?" He asked pleasantly enough but his gaze had sharpened.

Hux opened his mouth to respond but his reply was cut off as a spark of realisation lit up Solo's face.

"WAIT!" Han leapt off the bed as he saw through the changes in the appearance of the man before him.

He had spent weeks searching for his son in the time following his disappearance from the First Order. The rumours that Ben had absconded with the highest-ranking official within Starkiller Base, as well as the huge bounties which had been placed on the pairs head, had meant that Han found himself studying the profile of the red-haired defector more than he would admit to.

"YOU!"

Hux tensed his entire body as he waited for the confrontation. "Me." He offered evenly. There was very little point in denying it. Not that it would do any good. Solo knew who he was, he could see it.

Balling up his fists as he glared at the redhead, Han had a million questions running through his head but he settled on the one which was the most pressing, "Where is my son?" He hissed.

Unable to help himself, Hux smirked, "That is a very good question actually. I assume he is hiding out until he is able to free me from," he sent a disgusted glare around the jail cell, "this."

"So he is alive? And safe?" Despite the anger in Solo's face, Hux could see the shadow of relief which passed through it. He raised his eyebrow slightly as he realised that perhaps himself and Ren had been more successful at keeping their identities hidden and covering their tracks than they thought if even Ren's own father was unsure of his continued survival.

He snorted. "Alive, yes. Safe, I highly doubt it. The fool has an odd talent for finding trouble in areas where trouble need not exist." He added, mostly to himself, and it was true. The temperamental attitude which Ren possessed made him unpredictable and they have been in more than their fair share of brawls.

As he listened to the words, Han was surprised to hear the affection which laced Hux's tone as he spoke of his son. After their defection the rumours of an alleged relationship between the pair had been whispered throughout the galaxy but Han knew better than to pay attention to hearsay.

However, as Hux spoke of Ben it was clear to Han that there was something there.

"So," dropping from his offensive stance, Han sat back down on the edge of his bunk, "what exactly have you been doing with my son for the last year? Everyone knows you both left the First Order together. Why?" He needed answers.

Hux immediately felt a mild panic form in his stomach at the string of questions. Despite their differences, Ren loved his father and Hux knew it. What Hux did not know was how much information Ren wanted his father to know about his new life.

If he was honest then it could alienate him from Ren but if he ignored the older man then it could have possible future ramifications.

Minimum responses were a safe bet.

"For the last year your son and I have been working as smugglers while specifically targeting First Order ships in order to 'acquire' the cargo they carry. The cargo is then sold on to third parties across the galaxy. We are currently living on the ship which we stole from the base when we escaped. And to answer your second question, I left my station at the First Order after my elimination was ordered by Snoke himself. Self-preservation is only natural after all."

"And why would Ben leave with you? Snoke has been his mas...Snoke has had him for a long time?" Han asked, trying to keep any kind of accusation from his voice.

"Ren was given the order to kill me and he chose another path," Hux answered vaguely ignoring the use of Ren's birth name, "and since then we have worked together to debilitate the First Order while keeping ourselves in relative safety."

"Why wouldn't he kill you?" Not willing to give up the point, Han continued a hint of sadness in his tone, "from what we've heard, he doesn't really seem to have a problem with killing people. What makes you so special?"

Not appreciating the unspoken insult, Hux stormed towards the older man and raised his hand to point angrily at him, "You know nothing of Ren's actions. Your son was lost to you years ago. You have no comprehension of our life or what we have done over the last year! How dare y-" Hux cut himself off as he caught sight of Solo's face which had lost its confrontational edge in favour of open shock again.

Following his gaze he realised that in his anger he had placed his hand directly in Solo's eyeline. More specifically, he had placed the small golden ring which decorated his finger directly in his eyeline.

The small golden ring which had the clear indentation of the word 'Ren' inscribed on its front as it glinted in the dim light of the room.

"Ahh." Hux exhaled in defeat as Solo's eyes became comically wide.

"YOU MARRIED MY SON!" Han screeched and Hux closed his eyes as he felt the small headache which had been bothering him since his capture become somewhat more pronounced.

x-x-x-x-x

"YOU MARRIED MY SON!"

As Han gazed at the small ring which was hovering a few inches away from his nose he knew beyond doubt what it meant. The rumours about the pair were true. They were in a relationship. His son had married the man in front of him and Han felt...everything.

Shock, sadness, anger, joy even regret flashed through him as he realised that he knew virtually nothing about the life of his son. He was suddenly hyper-aware of his own wedding ring as it sat on his finger and as he continued to stare he was surprised by the similarities which existed between the rings.

Taking the silence as a desire for an actual response, Hux shrugged, "Well, technically we are not married by any registered authority but we consider our union to be legitimate. So yes."

"How long?" Even to his own ears, Han knew his voice sounded weak.

Another shrug. "Eight months." Realising that their secret was a lost cause at this point he continued, "However, we have been together for just over two years."

"Two years!" Han exclaimed before calming himself. "Ben," his soft tone was full of exasperation, "he couldn't have chosen a better partner could he? What a kid."

"And what exactly does that mean?" Sensing the insult Hux was again instantly filled with anger. "Do you have some form of problem with me?"

"Yeah." Jumping from his seated position again, Han stood face-to-face with the irate redhead. "You are a murderer. You destroyed an entire star system of innocent people. I've seen monsters before and you'd be right at home with them kid."

"Another example of you having no," Hux paused to hiss in fury, "NO idea what you are talking about. I had absolutely no part in the destruction of the Hosnian system. When Snoke gave the instruction for its total annihilation I opposed his choice. There was no need to eliminate the entire system as it was mostly peaceful and also contained a host of possible resources which had the potential to be of use. Snoke ordered the destruction anyway."

Some of the anger on Solo's face had dissipated but Hux was too furious to allow him to interrupt.

"My objections to the massacre were obviously noted however as it was only a handful of days after the destruction that Snoke issued Ren with the instructions to murder me in my sleep. How fortunate for me that we had been discreet enough to ensure that he had no inclinations as to our hidden year-long relationship. Ren chose to save me instead and I have spent the last year taking my revenge against the Order which betrayed me."

"I did as I was asked. I was a General. I am sure you and your wife," he threw Solo a look which dared him to argue, "have your own fair share of blood on your hands. How many First Order soldiers have you killed? The First Order was supposed to bring order to the galaxy and instead it has become corrupted by those who created it."

"I would rather see the First Order destroyed than have it continue as the bastardisation of itself which it has become." He concluded, some of his anger dying as he realised that he may have over-stepped his bounds. "Every action your son and I have taken in this last year has no doubt benefited you and your precious Republic so do not try to judge me by your own hypocritical moral stance."

A little thrown off by the unexpected speech and staunch defence of his son, Han was aware that he needed to diffuse the situation if he wanted to get more answers. "Whatever kid, it ain't my war." Lying back down on the bed, he sat in silence for a minute before throwing another glance at Hux. "So," he asked conversationally, "is my son any good as a smuggler? Is he doing the family name proud?"

Snorting as the tension in the room lowered, Hux placed himself gently in the one bare wooden stool which was laying in the corner. "Your son is a better smuggler than he ever was a political player. He is brash. Unpredictable. Reckless. Arrogant. So if what I have heard is to be believed, he is exactly his fathers son." He smirked at the older man but the intended insult had the opposite effect as a small smile appeared on Solo's face.

Again, Han could hear the changes in Hux's tone when he spoke of Ben. He heard a similar affectionate exasperation when he overheard Leia talking about him. The speech the redhead had made after he had called him a monster had given him pause. He tried to keep out of the war as much as possible, only intervening when Leia needed him or if he came across something in his travels but if what Hux had claimed about his role was true then he had to at least cease hostilities until further evidence was found.

After news of Ben's defection had reached him, Han had waited for Leia to contact him and tell him that their son had returned home but nothing ever came. And as the weeks and months rolled by, his hope that Ben would come home was lost. The occasional sighting or rumour of his continued life would come and go but that would never be enough.

As he scanned his gaze over Hux again, Han would not deny that he was pleased that his son had not been alone for the last year. He may not exactly be overjoyed to discover that Ben had shacked up with a man whose reputation for ruthlessness preceded him but they seemed to be...happy?

Reaching behind his small bunk, he pulled out a large bottle filled with some colourless liquid which he had been lucky enough to have bribed one of the other guards to sneak in for him. "Fancy a drink, kid?" He asked invitingly, yanking the cork out with his teeth before grabbing two small semi-clean containers from the same hiding place.

Shaking off his annoyance at the continued use of the term 'kid', Hux eyed up the bottle with distaste but it was better than nothing. "I accept."

x-x-x-x-x

"And when Ren finally delivered the box to their location it turned out that the ammo inside were all blanks!" Hux finished his tale with a loud laugh as he recalled the incident.

His eyes crinkling as he laughed alongside Hux, Han threw what was left of his drink down his throat before pouring two new ones. The bottle which had been full only an hour previously was now almost dangerously empty and both men had a good buzz going. The lack of decent food within the jail resulted in the alcohol going straight into their system and they had been swapping smuggling tales as they drank.

"I always hated doing business with the Grafleits," Han admitted as they clinked their glasses, "they're all cheating bastards. I'm surprised that you knew who they were. You're full of surprises, kid." He paused before speaking again in a different tone. "My son marrying a general from the First Order." He repeated, still slightly amazed. "See the Skywalker family?" He leaned in closer and spoke in a loud whisper. "They're mad. All of 'em! Even Leia. It's amazing how much trouble they get into."

Hux narrowed his eyes, "Again you seem to have an issue with Ren being with me? Why? Is it my gender?"

At the words, Han held up his hands in a defensive manner. "Nooo!" He protested, elongating the 'o' with a slight slur, "I mean I'm surprised but that's cause I had no idea. I haven't properly spoken to Ben since he was fifteen years old." He nodded to emphasise his point. "Before I met Leia I had a thing with this creature from the Outer Rim so I'm in no position to judge. She, I think it was a she anyway, was damn pretty and the things she could do wit-"

"I am going to stop you there Solo before you say something which we will both regret. Remember your son can access my thoughts!" Hux warned.

Han cringed as he slammed his mouth shut. "Fair enough kid. So where did you get married?" He asked, sipping his drink and holding eye-contact with the redhead.

Hux took a gulp of his own glass and wiped the corner of his mouth. "As I said previously, we are not officially married under any legal power. However, after I was almost eliminated on one of our raids, Ren presented me with the ring as a sign of his commitment to me and I immediately had one created for him so we could add the inscriptions."

"You nearly died?" Han was surprised and he calmed his tone again. "What happened?"

"We were ambushed by a hidden squad of stormtroopers and one landed a successful shot to my upper chest." Even after all the months which had passed since the incident, Hux still did not like to discuss his near brush with death. "Ren reacted," he paused, "poorly and when the squad was dead he healed the wound with his power. I would have bled out before the wound could be corrected otherwise and the shock of it inspired Ren to present me with the ring." Hux concluded.

"Force healing eh?" Han offered in an odd tone.

"Yes. It was quite impressive." Hux inclined his head towards Han.

Leia could use the force to heal people. It was rare but Han had watched her do it a few times and from what Leia had told him it was a talent which was only accessible to those who practised within the light side of the force.

Sith could not use that skill since it had to come from a place of love.

You had to love the target in order to heal them.

Ben loved Hux enough to call up his inner light to save the man from certain death.

"Damn." Han said evenly as he swirled the colourless liquid in his glass.

"What?" Hux asked at the unexpected exclamation.

"Nothing kid," he took another sip, "so you love my son then?"

A tipsy smile made its way on to Hux's face as he considered Ren. His partner, both in crime and in life. "It would certainly seem that way. When we were first introduced I hated him on sight," Hux confessed, "he was everything I hated in human form but those feelings soon mellowed into something altogether more horrifying." He grumbled.

Laughing at the admittance, Han nodded in understanding, "I was the same with Leia. She hated me from the start but I wore her down!" He winked. "Why hasn't Ben come to break you out yet? Trouble in paradise?"

"He will," Hux confirmed with a knowing look, "he knows that the longer he leaves me here the more irritated I will be. He will be here soon. Why has your wife not appeared to save you? Or that beast that you keep with you at all times?"

"Chewie is, uhh, visiting his friend Maz. Leia will be here to collect me at some point. I hope. I had a message sent to her to tell her to come get me." Han nodded. "She'll be fine with it, its been years since she last had to break me out."

Hux could hear the mild fear in his voice and he was unable to keep from stirring trouble. "Do you not consider it to be a little embarrassing that you are making the leader of the Resistance travel to this disgusting place to pay for your crimes?" His face was smug as he finished the last of the alcohol.

Anger flashed in Han's face, "Respect your elders kid. I'm not too old to kick your ass."

"I'd be mortified if it were me." Hux continued, his voice a challenge. "I would probably lie to ensure that no one was aware of where I was going. I would hate the idea that the shame would force people to pity me."

"Shut up kid." Han warned again as he jumped shakily to his feet.

"Listen here, old man, sit down before you-" Hux let out a very high yelp as he was thrown from the stool to the floor by the weight of Han's body as he launched himself at the seated man. Rolling around the dusty floor, the pair were grinning as they fought.

The alcohol consumed by both had dimmed the desire to actually hurt the other and as they continued to wrestle it was a point of pride that neither would be the first to admit defeat.

Knocking the stool back into its original position in the corner, the sudden cloud of dust caused both men to break into coughing fits as they struggled on the floor.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" A feminine screech broke across the muffled tussle and caused both men to freeze in their positions on the ground as they recognised the voice.

x-x-x-x-x

Sweeping into the darkened jail, Leia pulled the cloth which she was using to conceal her identity to the outside world away from her face. She had received the message from Han about his incarceration and despite the voice inside her telling her to leave him to his fate for a few more days she had finally given in and arranged to come and collect him herself.

As she entered the main area she was surprised to find that someone was already in discussion with the jailor. A tall, dark-haired man was leaning across the makeshift desk which was being used as a barrier between the jailor and those who ventured into the jail. They were speaking in hushed whispers but Leia could pick up on the angry tones.

To amuse herself she studied the man before her. He had his dark hair pulled back into a loose bun on the top of his head and his clothing was light grey and somewhat loose fitting. From the muscle definition in his exposed arms she could tell that he had been trained in some form of battle and she could make out a few ropey scars which decorated the skin.

She was pulled from her observations by the dark-haired man grabbing the front of the jailors clothing and throwing him backwards a few feet.

A fight was breaking out.

"Hey!" She exclaimed as she pulled the man backwards to separate him from the jailor whom she needed to speak with. "What do you think you're doi-"

Her words caught in her throat and she swore she felt her heart jolt as she made direct eye contact with the man who was causing trouble.

"Ben..." She breathed out. Feeling her legs go slack in shock, she would have fallen if it wasn't for Ren's quick reflexes which allowed him to grab on to her arms and keep her steady. "I didn't know. I didn't know." She repeated.

Ren knew that her look of dumb shock was reflected in his own as he held on to his mother's arms tightly enough to prevent her from falling but not enough to cause her pain. "Hello mother." Fighting past the tightness in his throat, he managed the two words with some difficulty.

"Why can't I feel you?" She allowed him to lead her to one of the nearby benches and she sat on it heavily.

Understanding instantly what she meant, he explained. "I am suppressing my connection to the force at the minute. I cannot allow myself to be sensed when I am on any planet for a length of time as it could be dangerous."

A loud snarl drew his attention back to the jailor whom he was currently negotiating Hux's release with. The situation had now changed and he had no time for this.

Making eye-contact with the beast, Ren used a mind-trick with ease. "You will forget having ever seen my face or the face of my partner whom you arrested. You will not recall any of this meeting. You will walk outside right now and not return to this jail until after nightfall." He watched as the creature nodded and followed the instructions.

"Why are you here?" Ren returned to his mother, her breathing had evened out and the shock had faded from her face to be replaced with a host of different emotions which Ren was too afraid to tap into.

"Your father." Leia answered with an exasperated smile, "Even at his age he still has not grasped the concept of a quiet life." She patted the space next to her on the bench. Ren smiled politely at her words but his eyes were still guarded as he sighed and took the offered seat.

"I knew you were alive." She continued. "I always knew. People would try to tell me not to keep hope and that the rumours might not be true but a mother always knows." She tried to force the sadness from her tone as she gazed at the son whom she had been praying to return to her since his defection from the First Order. "Are the rumours true?

"That I am no longer working for either Snoke or the First Order? Yes."

Leia gave a small smile at the admission but her face was soon tinged by confusion and hurt, "Then why did you not come home?"

"My home was no longer with you," Ren confessed with a sad stare, "after all that has happened I could not return to you. Ben Solo was dead and the man I am now had no place with you."

Fighting back the lash of pain at his words, Leia continued. "You said he 'was' dead? What do you mean?"

Ren paused as he considered his options. Recently, he had been plagued with the thoughts of his lost family and he had considered contacting his mother on multiple occasions. But it was a complicated issue as he was unsure how Hux would feel about an association with the Resistance and he was further gripped by a fear that his mother would reject him.

This meeting seemed almost too coincidental and Ren felt a momentary twinge of irritation at the force itself and its suspected interference. But he came to an immediate decision.

"I can show you? If you wish?"

Leia narrowed her eyes as she tried to understand his meaning. Noticing her confusion, Ren gestured vaguely to his own head with his bandaged wrapped hand.

"You want me to enter your mind?" She gasped.

"Ehh, no." He quickly countered. "Not to offend you mother but I cannot allow you free rein within my mind. I am willing to fully show and guide you through the last year though. An explanation will take some time and there is no faster way than this method."

"Okay then," She agreed and she slid slightly closer to her son, allowing him to pick up her hand gently and place it against his temple as her curiosity outweighed any trepidation she felt

Taking a moment to steady himself, Ren dropped all of his mental barriers and allowed his mother to both see and feel how his life had developed over the last year.

x-x-x-x-x

Leia gasped as she was slowly led through the last year of her son's life, from his final days in service of the First Order to the year he had just spent both evading and causing trouble all the way up to the present day.

She was unaware of how much time was passing as each of the shortened memories were passed through her mind with enough detail to provide her with a steady idea of exactly how Ben had elected to spend the last year.

Against her will, she felt her eyes wet slightly as she observed the relationship which her son had apparently developed with the man she, until now, had considered a monster. She saw it all as she watched the strained tension which marked their first few months working together develop into something more before culminating in Ben choosing to save the life of his partner over his loyalty to Snoke.

One of the final moments which her son allowed her to view in detail was a small ceremony which took place on the ship he had stolen. A ceremony in which he handed a ring to an obscenely grinning redhead before accepting a matching ring on his own hand.

As she was thrown from his mind gently, Leia was unable to move for a moment as the significance of that final memory hit her.

Her son was married.

Her son had fallen in love and rejected the dark side in order to protect that love.

That was not the act of a Sith lord in training.

Her son was alive.

There could be no doubt that Ben Solo still existed within the man who still called himself Kylo Ren and that thought in itself was enough to bring fresh tears to her eyes. She had spent years longing for her son to return to her and it seemed that her wish had been heard.

x-x-x-x-x

Watching her silently, Ren had to suddenly blink away a small gathering of wetness behind his own eyes as he watched his mother sift through all the information he had just provided her with. As soon as she was expelled from his mind he had shut down his connection again to prevent her from picking up the nervousness and fear of rejection which he knew she would be assaulted with.

"Are you...okay?" He asked uncertainly and he had to stop himself from flinching as her gaze met his. He was unable to pick out a single emotion amongst the flurry which were dancing in her eyes.

"I will be," she responded and her tone held a slight giddiness as she continued, "so can I meet him?"

Ren was under no illusions as to who she was referring to and he sighed slightly, "I suppose. I am unable to avoid this meeting it seems." He added with a note of inevitability in his tone, "Shall we then?" He held his arm out to her to offer his support and she accepted gratefully.

As they walked through the dingy jail he allowed his mind to wander. He suspected that the shock of their meeting and his allowance of her into his mind had caught his mother off guard enough to prevent her from asking any really tough questions and he was a little thankful for it. His intuition was telling him that this meeting was significant and that many important decisions were soon to be made based on it. But as he made his way down another corridor he knew that these would have to wait until he had consulted Hux since whatever happened would have a serious impact on them both.

Nearing the final cells at the end of the corridor, Ren was surprised to hear a familiar yelp followed by a series of small bangs and thumping noises. Sharing a confused glance with his mother they followed the source of the noise until they had reached the only cell in the jail which currently held two occupants.

At the sight of his father and husband wrestling on the floor, Ren was barely able to suppress his laughter just as his mother overcame her momentary shock to screech "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

x-x-x-x-x

Thrusting his hand out, Ren used his power to separate the fighting pair. At the gesture, Han was thrown back gently onto the small bed which sat within the jail while Hux was made to scoot backwards until he collided with the far wall gently.

The raised protests of both men at their treatment were swiftly shut down by Leia again as she held up a hand to silence them. "Thank you." She directed towards her son before facing off against her husband. "What the hell is going on Han?"

Eyes bright and clearly a little intoxicated, Han pointed at the seated Hux, "The kid challenged me to a fight! And I was winning before you arrived." He said accusingly as he looked back at Leia.

"LIES! I was clearly the superior fighter old man!" Hux countered as he matched Han's pointing gesture, "As always you are lucky your wife appeared to save you."

Ignoring Hux's words, Han kept his eyes on Leia. "Hey, have you met Ben's husband yet? Turns out he's not a monster and he knows how to hold a drink."

Rolling their eyes in perfect sync, both Ren and Leia turned to face Hux. Walking towards the seated man she held out her hand, "General Leia Organa, pleased to meet you."

Forcing himself up to his feet in an attempt to regain his dignity, Hux accepted her warm hand with his own, "Former-General Hux of the First Order. The pleasure is mine." Hux added with total sincerity. He may not have had much respect for Solo but Leia Organa was a natural leader and her rise to General was hard-fought and well-earned. Plus she was Ren's mother and it would be improper to be rude to the woman he knew Ren held in such high-esteem.

Leia furrowed her eyebrows for a second, "No first name? What shoul-"

Hux cut her off quickly, "I am happy to respond to Hux." He noticed that Leia was ready to protest but Ren placed his hand gently on her arm to indicate that she should back off and to his immediate relief, she did.

"My son has shown me his history with you," Leia began and her tone was warm, "and how your relationship developed to the point it is at today." She broke off to send a small glance at the gold ring on his finger. "While I understand that this meeting today was unplanned and also a shock to all those included," she smiled at Han, "I can't shake the feeling that it was meant to be."

Stopping again, she threw a look at Ben and was pleased to see that he was nodding along with her assessment as he came to stand side-by-side with his husband. "I know what you both have done in the name of the First Order and I cannot condone any of the actions which you have both made," taking a deep breath to steady herself she continued, "but I have also seen the work which you both have put into trying to take down the First Order since your defection and in that time you have both saved countless lives by destroying and stealing their ships and cargo."

Speaking directly to Ben she gave a watery smile, "I understand that you enjoy your life as it is but I want to ask you to come home, Ben. Come home with us. Your place was always with us and if you are seeking redemption then we can help," she looked to Hux too, "we can help you both. If you are willing." Her words were met by a small noise of agreement from Han who was content to lie back and allow his wife to take the reins. She was the General after all.

Surprised by the offer, Ren's first instinct was to reject it. "You know I cannot do that. Too much has happened between us all." Making eye-contact with Hux, Ren gave him a pleading look and was rewarded with Hux raising his eyebrows and closing off his expression.

Realising that Hux was allowing him to make his own choice without interference he continued, "Hux and I would never be welcome among your people. The Resistance suffered at our hands and I doubt we would be comfortable or able to guarantee our safety."

Unable to hide her disappointment, Leia argued gently. "The Resistance would never attack you if you were on our side but there are those who have suffered. Your actions in the last year would help with convincing them that you had changed. You have both saved more lives that you know, even in the last quarter we have seen so much less death than usual and I think that's because of you both."

"Mother I can't." Ren was sorely tempted to accept but he would not do so without Hux's consent and he could not discuss it here.

"There is another reason I'm asking," Leia added mysteriously as she stared at the pair, "do you remember the stormtrooper who deserted you? Finn?"

"Man I love that kid. Big deal!." Han jumped back into the conversation while Hux looked to Ren for confirmation.

"FN-2187." Ren said quietly.

"Ahh," Hux exclaimed as he recalled the man, "what about him? I'm guessing he survived that crash on Jakku then?"

Leia nodded, "Yes he survived. But after he crash landed on Jakku he ended up meeting a girl and they evaded your stormtroopers and joined the Resistance. The girl is incredible, Rey is her name and she is strong with the force. I have been teaching her as much as I can but my talents lie in the empathy and location uses of the force. I am less skilled in other areas. I can teach her to use the force to manipulate a blaster but she needs a real teacher to hone her skills since the map to Luke is still incomplete.

Ren was silent at the new information and, despite his mild drunkenness, Hux was watching him like a hawk. It was no secret to Hux that Ren had recently been vocal about his desire to take on an apprentice whom he could train, but given their circumstances they knew that it was very unlikely to happen. As he gazed at Ren's expression, he could see past the forced blankness to the deep longing which was reflected within.

Sighing, he shifted slightly closer to Ren and gently grasped at his wrist to show his support to the wish which Ren would never speak. Gazing at Leia, he straightened his spine a little, "Give me the coordinates for your base and Ren and I will meet you there in one week. This is not a promise of anything but we will take one week to seriously consider your offer and then deliver our response in person. You have my word."

Giving a genuine smile, Leia was unable to hide his pleasure at the agreement while Han matched her grin. "Why a week?" He asked thoughtfully.

"We have things which need to be organised," he replied vaguely, "one week and we will meet you at the location you specify. Ren?"

"I agree." Was all the tall dark-haired man could say as he felt his chest swell with anticipation and joy that Hux was not totally averse to the idea of being associated with the Resistance.

"Then we will leave," Leia kept up her smile as she glided forward and placed a kiss on Ren's cheek, only hesitating for a split second before doing the same to Hux, "I've waited a year for my son to come to me so I think I can manage an extra week." She offered wryly.

Jumping from his position on the bed, Han placed a hand on Ben's shoulder, the first piece of physical contact he had made with his son in years, and he swore he felt his hand tingle in response. He held eye contact with Ben for a few moments and the look was loaded with a future promise which caused Han to smirk as he disappeared from the room with his beloved and long-suffering wife.

x-x-x-x-x

Settling back into the pilot and co-pilot seats of their stolen ship, Hux could feel the excitement brimming in the air as they started their journey away from this hell-hole of a planet. Very little had been said between them both as they left the jail and Hux was content to allow the good feeling to last as long as he could.

His musings were cut short by Ren speaking to him quietly, "Are you sure?"

For such a small question it was loaded with meaning and Hux was happy to explain his decisions, "It is what you want." He replied simply, "You have spoken of wanting an apprentice for some time and I know that despite everything you still have a great deal of feeling for your family. You are thrilled to have encountered them and I will not stand in the way of that." He concluded with a small smile.

"But is it what YOU want?" Ren insisted as he ruffled a hand through his hair. If he got the slightest feeling that Hux was only accommodating his interests at the expense of his own then he would not accept his mother's offer.

Twisting his chair so he could give Ren his full attention, Hux reached out and grazed his hand across Ren's jaw as his eyes lit up with affection. "I will admit that I never pictured myself working alongside the Resistance but Snoke has bastardized the First Order into something which is for his own personal chaos and not to bring peace to the galaxy and I cannot allow it to continue. The Resistance has its considerable failings but at this point it is most preferable to the First Order."

The affection in his eyes was replaced by mischief, "Plus I suppose I could offer a helping hand to the Resistance itself. After all, I am the youngest officially recognised General which the galaxy has seen in recent times. With our shared knowledge of First Order training schemes and simulations we can easily prepare even the most incompetent Resistance warrior."

Laughing at the assessment, Ren nodded his agreement, "You are very skilled and I am sure the Resistance will be pleased to have you." His smile died a little as he paused to consider his own statement, "I do think my mother might be over exaggerating how accepting people are going to be of us both. And knowing our own talents for trouble I do not see us being that popular."

Hux snorted, "When have we ever been popular?" He enquired and as he laughed at his own words, he leaned from his chair to catch Ren's lips in his own, delivering a joyful kiss as they individually started to plot out the work they would need to conduct over the next week in order to make sure that they were finally ready to rejoin civilised society.


	2. Day One

First Order ships were built with a very specific design set.

For this type of ship, a small warship, the typical First Order style of accommodation was metal bunk beds which were welded into place. It ensured that the available space could be utilised in the most efficient manner and also allowed the troopers a form of camaraderie without actually requiring any real form of physical contact or relationship building.

So when Hux and Ren 'acquired' the ship, they were the first thing to be disposed of.

It had taken Ren almost a full week to fully remove the stiff metal frames from their positions on the wall without compromising the integrity of the structure. Despite his attempts to assist, Hux found that his lack of excess physical strength made him more of a hindrance than a help and he cosigned himself to the task of getting his hands on the necessary tools which they would need to redesign the small space.

But the results were obvious.

The bunks had been merged into a very large bed which took up a great majority of the available space in the room. Enough space had been left to the side to allow either of them to walk by it but aside from the bed there was very little else held in the room itself since their items were stored in another re-purposed room a few feet away.

And in the centre of the bed, tangled up in both the sheets and with each other, lay the two men who had went to so much effort to ensure that they could be truly comfortable with each other.

"So, we have seven days to organise ourselves before we meet your parents again and decide our future," Hux summarised as he stared up at the dark metal paneling which passed as a ceiling in their tiny room, "that is not a comfortable amount of time. We need to plan our actions."

Yawning as he pulled the redhead slightly closer, Ren asked lazily, "Plan what actions? We have no commitments here."

Following Ren's insistent pulling, Hux lay his head across the broad chest, "Well for starters we have one delivery left to make and I also feel like we owe a certain someone a small visit for setting us up and getting me arrested in the first place."

"Revenge. I can do that," Ren laughed easily, "I also want to visit one of our safety deposits. I have a few items I wish to pick up."

"We can do that later in the week," Hux nodded in agreement before glancing around, "We also should finish repairing the ship. Particularly if we have a long journey to the meet point."

Curling and uncurling his fingers out languidly, Ren titled his head to the side as he lay his head against the pillow, "We have all the necessary components to fix it in the store room so that's not an issue. Should we get dressed and make a start right now?"

"Yes. Go do it. I'll stay here and make sure that no one attempts to invade our private space." Hux smirked against his warm chest.

Issuing a small whine, Ren blew away a small curl of hair which had settled over his eyes. He got no response from the redhead so he whined again with an increased volume.

Chuckling at the immaturity, Hux rolled on to his back and sighed dramatically, "Fine. We stay here for the day. But I hope you are aware that this means that we will be very busy over the next six days?"

"I can live with that." Ren smiled as he placed one of his arms behind his head, "So where are the coordinates which my mother sent you? Which planet has she chosen for our meeting?"

"Some backwards dusty planet which is no doubt going to ruin the new boots I have ordered for myself," Hux frowned slightly as he considered his yet-to-arrive boots, "but the planet is desolate enough to be of little use to both the Resistance and the First Order so it is a good choice. We are unlikely to be discovered."

"And you are certain this is what you want?" Ren's jovial tone had taken on a serious edge and Hux rolled his eyes at the question.

"Again I will tell you yes. How many times do you want me to say it Ren?" His exasperation was clear as he sat up and faced the questioning dark-haired man directly, "I was raised by the First Order and they portrayed the Resistance as being incredibly weak and completely incapable of protecting and ruling in the galaxy. So the thought of working for the Resistance is, admittedly, a little difficult to come to terms with but I would much prefer it to being tortured and murdered by a despot. Plus this will make you happy and that is something which I owe you."

"You know that there are no debts between us but I understand what you are trying to say. I just..." Ren sighed as he rubbed his face with his other hand, "If you change your mind or decide that this is not what you want will you swear to tell me?"

"Trust me, the minute I want out of there I will be gone and you will be the first to know." Hux smirked, pleased that the message seemed to have finally sunk into the taller man.

"Thank you." Sliding down the bed slightly, Ren placed a soft kiss on Hux's head before returning to his previous position.

Wiping the smile off his face quickly, Hux put on a fake snarl, "That was disgustingly domestic."

"It was," Ren agreed, "Speaking of domestic life, are you planning on continuing your fight with my father again?"

"Perhaps." Snaking one hand across Ren's waist, he pulled himself on top of the taller man, "He seems incapable of keeping his rather loud mouth shut for too long so I imagine that I might experience the urge to blot it shut for him. Does that bother you?" He asked curiously.

"Not really. It might bother my mother though. if i were you I would request her permission before you fight my father. Depending on her mood you very well might receive it." He smiled fondly.

Hux matched his smile, "Noted."


	3. Day Two

"Do you think he will attempt to run when we confront him?" Hux inquired as he strapped a small blaster to his outer thigh. Making sure it was easily accessible, he threw his long grey coat over his shoulders to ensure that it was covered from prying eyes. No need to cause extra trouble.

Pulling a matching grey shawl across his head, Ren shrugged, "We have a reputation for not being very forgiving so I expect that he will." He paused to tuck his dark hair into the sides of the shawl, "What are the rules on my abilities?"

Eyes narrowing as he mulled over his options, Hux answered, "Since we only have to stay anonymous for a few more days I would say exercise caution but feel free if he is proving to be difficult."

"Agreed." Ren nodded as he pushed open the doorway to the secret room which both men suspected that the creature who had betrayed them was currently hiding. He was the one who provided Hux with the best time to make the drop to avoid being arrested and it was by following his instructions that Hux had been caught with the stolen goods in hand.

So it seemed only fair that they settle the matter before they disappeared from this part of the galaxy.

Sneaking silently down the long, winding corridor which led to the hidden room, both Hux and Ren were as relaxed as they could be. Preko was no physical threat and this location was practically unknown. They did not have to fear being discovered.

Reaching the door, Hux pushed it forward gently and they walked confidently into the room as a loud squeak issued from the only other inhabitant.

"Hello my friends," Preko called out nervously as he watched the duo enter with harsh faces, "what can I do for you today?"

"So, Preko," Hux began conversationally, "you thought you could betray our deal and suffer no consequence?" Tutting, he moved backwards towards the door and pulled the lock shut.

Following Hux's movements with his eyes, Ren was next to speak, "Because of your betrayal my colleague here," he gestured to Hux, "was captured and jailed for a small amount of time and that is unacceptable."

"I n-never said nothing to nobody!" Preko stuttered as he watched the pair lock themselves in the small room with him.

"You are lying!" Sneering with disdain, Hux continued, "You told me to be there at five and I waited for your arrival. It is an amazing coincidence that the guard discovered me before you could."

"Wait, five?" Confusion littered Preko's tone as he glanced at Ren again, "I told you six."

"No, you told me five," Ren narrowed his eyes, "and Hux was picked up by the patrolling guard exactly ten minutes after his arrival at five sharp."

Preko held up one hand, "No! No! Five! Preko said five!" A pause. "And he can prove it!"

Hux's eyes narrowed as Ren's expression became slightly nervous, "If you can prove it then prove it." His voice was suspicious but Ren's reaction had caught his attention and he could sense uncertainty.

Reaching into his desk, Preko produced a small black recording device. He switched it on with shaky hands as Hux's gun was still targeting his general direction and started to scroll through the recent recordings which had been made.

"I record all my business meetings," he explained without looking up, "it keeps things easy and blackmail can be good money. Here it is."

Pressing play, a small hologram of both Preko and Ren burst to life from the recorder and started to play out, allowing Hux to hear it all.

Preko's recorded voice was clear, "Your partner will need to be quick if we're going to do this. Preko knows the guards do their rounds at the same time every day so to avoid them he will need to be there at six. Any earlier and he could be caught if the guard is late."

Stopping the recording, Preko held his hands up in defense, "See! I told you six. He," he pointed at Ren, "must have giving you the wrong time. Preko is innocent."

"Excellent point Preko." Lowering his voice a notch, Hux looked at the fearful creature again, "Can I have a moment alone with my colleague here please?"

Nodding exaggeratedly, Preko did not hesitate before throwing himself out of the small door and his faint footsteps could be heard as he walked away from the rapidly growing domestic situation.

Ren decided to get in there first, "Now, before you start-" He offered in an apologetic tone but he was instantly cut off by the irate redhead.

"Seriously?!" Hux exploded, clenching his fists in irritation, "So our entire life was almost ruined because you cannot pass information along correctly? We were lucky that our true identities were not discovered! Seriously Ren?! I spend half a day in jail you fool!" He hissed in rage.

"Do you want an apology or not?" Ren rolled his eyes petulantly. "It is not as though I left you there to rot for weeks before springing you loose."

"I was JAILED you bastard! I have a reputation to uphold and spending a day in an absolute filth pit of a jail is not what i want to be remembered for."

"But it did have impressive consequences. I would even call it fate." His tone softening with penance, Ren attempted to diffuse the argument before it grew into something problematic.

Hux snorted in response.

Fate indeed.

As he considered his experience in the jail, from meeting both of Ren's parents in person to their decision to join the Resistance, he found that he could not complain too much about the change in events.

It did not stop him from seething though and he crossed his arms as he kept his eyes narrow to show his displeasure.

His unhappy display was cut off as Ren chuckled lowly and leaned down to place a small, delicate kiss on his temple.

Brushing the gentle kiss off since he was still highly irritable and unwilling to show forgiveness at this particular moment, Hux scowled, "What was that for?"

Ren shrugged, "You are very attractive when you are angry."

"Then I can imagine that I am quite the masterpiece at the moment."


	4. Day Three

As he surveyed the gang of young men, Hux could not hold back his comments,"You should have the pleasure of knowing that you will be the last to do with business with us in this capacity." He watched with a passive expression as the leader of the gang inspected the large crate which had recently been 'acquired' from a First Order cargo ship.

He could not see Ren but he knew that the taller man would be rolling his eyes at the statement. He often complained that Hux took this smuggling business far too seriously.

But Hux was nothing if not efficient.

After the revelations which the previous day had thrown up, Hux was still feeling a little resentful towards Ren and his apparent negligence. However, since the event had passed without any real negative consequence he was finding it harder to hold on to his annoyance.

The gang leader ignored the spoken words and signaled for two of his men to crack the lid open. Following his instructions, the lid was soon broken open and a soft hum could be heard emitting from within the crate.

"A genuine First Order warship processor," Ren announced in a showmans voice, his hood had been left up but it was still possible to make out his features in the fading day sun, "in perfect condition and instantly able to be connected to any other ship capable of supporting its specifications."

The leader ran his hand gently across the metal and it was clear from his expression that he was pleased with the item in question.

Hux cleared his throat to bring attention to himself again, "At a very reasonable cost of 10,000 credits. As previously agreed."

A small nod was sent his way as the leader moved away from the crate and stood beside the half-dozen men who made up his crew.

"No."

"No?" Hux raised an eyebrow, "Have I misheard you?"

"No." The man replied.

"A deal was made. If you are unwilling to meet your end of it then I have others buyers who have expressed an interest. How unfortunate that you are willing to give up this rare opportunity." He shook his head in false sadness.

Spinning on his heel, he started to march towards the crate to begin loading it back on to their ship but he barely made it a few feet when he felt Ren tense beside him.

Turning to ask Ren what was wrong, he did not have the opportunity to speak before he felt Ren shoving him harshly to ground behind the crate.

Not expecting the move, he fell to the dusty ground and he scowled with anger.

The expression of rage instantly switched to mild annoyance as the sound of gunfire started in their direction.

As they both took shelter behind the crate, Hux looked to Ren in unspoken questioning.

Without even glancing back, Ren pointed to his head in explanation.

"Ahh," Hux breathed. Since Ren was barred access from his own mind he had forgotten that Ren liked to read others when they were conducting business, "Maybe next time you can inform me instead of throwing me around like a child?"

Ren considered the words for a moment, "Maybe. So what weapons do we have? My saber is on the ship since I was not expecting trouble."

Sighing, Hux did a quick inventory, "I have my blaster which you cannot use, my personal knife and a weak mini-blaster in my ankle holster. You are welcome to either of the latter."

"Knife," Ren replied instantly, "That blaster isn't worth its weight in dust."

Plucking his knife from its hidden location on his outer thigh, Hux handed it him with no hesitation.

Ren was undeniably skilled with a knife but for some reason he never had to foresight to carry one for himself.

"Why not just bring your own?" Hux inquired quietly, having never really considered it before.

Ren paused testing the sharpness of the blade to think about his response, "I suppose it is because you will always be here to give me yours." He shrugged.

Taken aback by the unexpected answer, Hux felt a pleasant warmth fill him as he was reminded of how committed Ren was to him, "Flatterer. Now go kill something."

"Yes, General." Ren answered sarcastically while Hux felt a small flush of arousal at the statement.

He did love Ren using his title.

Rolling out from their position, Ren launched the knife as hard as he could at the closest target.

Seeing his exit, the man ducked under the vehicle he was using for cover and the knife stuck into the wall behind him. Standing again quickly, he took aim at Ren while Hux kept the others busy by providing cover fire.

As soon as the man was fully upright, Ren threw out his hand and used his power to pull the knife from the wall and call it back to his position. The knife followed his direction unerringly and as it flew back towards him it drove itself directly into the unprotected back of the shooter as he was about to fire on the unshielded Ren.

Watching as the man fell to the ground dead, Ren summoned the knife from the dead mans back and he caught it in mid-air. Swinging his head to the right, he just managed to catch the sight of Hux taking out one of the other shooters with a well-aimed shot.

A blast whizzed over his head and he directed his attention to the short, portly man who was firing at him as he threw his knife again. This fool has slower reflexes than his companion and the knife caught him in the lower stomach.

As he dropped to his knees in pain, Ren sprinted to his side and retrieved the knife.

Not wanting to leave the man to bleed out, he placed his hands on either side of the thick neck and twisted it to the side, snapping the bone and killing him instantly. Screams of outrage met him as the leader and remaining two shooters realised that they had lost another body before all aimed their weapons to target the dark-haired assassin.

Knowing he was outmatched, Ren dodged the fire while subtly freezing the bullets which got too close as he reached his original position next to Hux.

"Only three left," Hux brushed his red hair from his eyes as he smiled at Ren, "I was not expecting this but it has been weeks since we had some good target practice."

"Ready for round two?" Ren asked, a savage grin decorating his features as he peeked out from the side of the crate.

Hux readjusted the leather bracers which he was using to protect his wrists from damage, "Of course I am. Most kills decides how we spent tomorrow since it is our only free day?"

Smirking at the challenge, Ren bolted out from behind his cover and started to charge at the remaining three gang members. "Agreed." He bellowed over his shoulder.

"Cheater." Hux yelled back but it was impossible to detect the anger in his fond tone.


	5. Day Four

"This is the last time I allow you to choose how we spend a day." Hux grumbled as he was forced to strip from his robes to comply with Ren's instructions.

Removing the grey shawl from his own head, Ren's tone was exasperated, "This is something you need to learn if we are going to be around other Force users. It is not my fault that I am quick with a knife. You lost fairly."

Yesterday, in the time it had taken Hux to eliminate the leader of the gang who attempted to kill them, Ren has successfully knifed the remaining two shooters. This gave him a winning score of four against two and much to his annoyance, Hux could not argue with the win.

Grumbling incoherently, Hux dumped his robes in an unceremonious pile at the side of the small training room. Now standing barefoot in nothing but a white tank top and black sparring trousers, he raised an eyebrow, "Now what?"

"Adopt the position."

Dropping to the floor, Hux crossed his legs and adopted the traditional lotus-style position which he had watched Ren use many times while the younger man was attempting a meditation session. Hux himself never placed much stock in the practise but Ren had been adamant that he needed to learn how to properly protect his mind from potential invasion.

His suggestion that he would simply shoot dead anyone who attempted to skim his thoughts had been met with a frown as Ren reminded him that the most likely candidate for such an event would be his mother.

And Hux had to admit that the thought of shooting Leia Organa had very little appeal. Mostly because he suspected she would kill him before he had the chance.

"Anything else?" He offered a false smile through gritted teeth.

"I will need access to your mind."

"No." Hux replied instantly. He loved Ren, he honestly did, but he would not allow him free reign inside his mind. There was a reason they had a strict 'no mind reading' policy as Hux had many skeletons in his past that he would rather stayed unknown.

Ren smiled at the rejection, "I knew you would say no. I do not need full access since I will only be skimming your immediate thoughts. But to make it easier I am going to ask you to recall an event we both attended. I was thinking of using the day I gave you your ring?"

Finding the terms acceptable, Hux nodded. "What exactly do I need to do."

"I want you to recall the event and then at one point I will ask you to clear your mind. If you have done it correctly I should be unable to detect anything when I skim your thoughts. I will go no deeper than surface thoughts. For example, at the moment you are thinking that you need to improve your aim."

"What am I thinking now?" Hux asked, conjuring and projecting some truly filthy images of himself of Ren in a last attempt to get out of this session.

Flushing as he was bombarded by the images, Ren shook his head to dispel them. "Nice try but it won't work."

Unwilling to give up, Hux argued. "I can clear my mind easily."

"Then why are you stalling?" Ren countered.

"I am not stalling." Hux hissed and he shut his eyes and started to recall the memory of Ren presenting him with his ring.

Every single movement he made sent new bursts of pain throughout his system as he abdomen protested his attempts. The days-old injury was still fresh enough to require constant vigilance but Hux had to admit that Ren had adapted to being his carer with a surprising flare.

After witnessing Ren's reaction to his injury, he had expected Ren to keep a close eye on him but as he eyed up the small golden ring which had just been presented to him with no preamble he had to admit that he was not expecting this.

Glancing at Ren's expression as he held out the ring, Hux could detect extreme uncertainty mixed in with a touch of fear.

"What are you asking me for?" A dense feeling had settled into his stomach as an odd mixture of apprehension and excitement twisted him.

"Clear your mind." Ren's crystal clear voice broke into his memories.

As he heard the voice, Hux locked down his mental shields harshly as he fought off the soft intrusion which Ren was making.

Giving Hux a moment to secure his mind, Ren again brushed his thoughts.

He had to give Hux credit for his current level of ability as he could not longer make out the memories in the crystal clear manner which he was accustomed to. Instead, it was as though he was viewing them through frosted glass as he could still make out his own figure holding the ring as Hux questioned his motives.

"I can still understand your thoughts," his voice was soothing as he circled behind the unseeing Hux, "lift your barriers and try again. Do not force it and keep your mind focused yet loose."

Nodding slowly to show he was listening, Hux settled back into his memories.

"What are you asking me for?" A dense feeling had settled into his stomach as an odd mixture of apprehension and excitement twisted him.

Meeting his eyes, Ren bit his lip slightly before letting out a slow breath,

"Everything."

"Clear your mind."

Following the new advice, Hux lowered his mental shield gently and allowed it to take root without placing any great stress on it. Keeping his breathing even, he tilted his head slightly to indicate to Ren that he was ready.

Scanning his mind over Hux's, Ren was surprised that he could detect nothing coming from his serene-looking partner.

Pressing slightly harder than he had been previously, he was aware that unless someone made a direct intrusion, which would be instantly detectable, Hux's mind was strong enough to block out and evade basic scanning.

If he stayed vigilant his top thoughts would stay private.

Pleased with how well Hux had performed, Ren grinned as he showered him with praise. "It only took you two attempts. Impressive. I knew you would do well."

"I told you that I could clear my mind," Hux scoffed, "my military upbringing would not allow for anything else."

Still grinning with pride, Ren suddenly recalled something and his expression became more predatory which caused Hux to raise an eyebrow.

"What?" He asked suspiciously.

Ren narrowed his eyes as he zeroed in on Hux, "You've done so well that I think we need to have a discussion about those earlier projections..." He growled as he started to stalk towards the smirking redhead.


	6. Day Five

"We would like to make a withdrawal," Hux announced quietly as his passive gaze fell on the blue-tinged bank teller. To his side, Ren was glancing around the bank with mild interest as he watched the hustle and bustle of the various people and creatures who were also attempting to access their banks.

Nodding, the teller swiped something on her hologram before asking in a distinctly feminine voice, "Would that be a monetary withdrawal or item withdrawal? The key you presented possesses two different accounts."

"Item withdrawal. We need access to our safety deposit vault." Hux replied without hesitating, a few weeks after getting married they had both chosen to move their individual accounts into a shared vault, the one which they had been previously been using to store the credits gained from their smuggling exploits.

Having gained his families inheritance after his fathers death, Hux had a decent level of untouchable savings which could easily see him retire and live comfortably for the remainder of his life. His family had been wise enough to store their mild wealth with a non-affiliated banking system so the fall of the Galactic Empire had very little impact on their monetary standing and Hux had to appreciate their foresight.

Ren, on the other hand, had considerably less.

Having exiled himself from his family, and therefore from the Organa line, he did not have much material wealth as he started his training under Snoke. His years spent working for the First Order had allowed him to gain a small amount of savings which he had never really had seen any use for. Generally speaking, he wanted for nothing but he was now pleased to have accepted some of the spoils as it let to him being able to contribute something to this new shared account.

Aside from the wealth which they shared, they also both had access to a safety deposit vault which had previously belonged to Hux's grandfather. A few valuable items had spent decades festering away in there but Hux had very little interest in them now since they were mostly items gained during the height of the Galactic Empire. They had no real bearing on the galaxy as it was now however they were the closest thing to heirlooms which he possessed.

Even though the vault was relatively large, there was only one item stored in a case which Hux himself had placed here. Ren had a small case, the contents of which Hux had never been privy to, which he kept hidden in one of the corners.

It had been Ren's idea to visit today and reclaim these items before he reconciled with his family and Hux had been eager enough to accompany him.

If only to sate his curiosity.

"Would you like the items brought to you or would you rather collect yourself?" The teller asked in a bored tone without looking at the pair as she kept an eye on her hologram.

"We can collect ourselves." Ren confirmed.

She nodded absently and pointed towards the heavily guarded entrance which led to the vaults, "Please follow the directions to your allocated vault number."

"Thank you." Hux snatched up his key from the table and the pair followed her directions.

The trip into the vault was short and uneventful, the pleasure of such a high-profile bank, and Hux was finally able to relax as he locked the stiff door shut behind them to prevent interruptions.

"Your case should be in its preferred spot," Hux commented, attempting to keep the interest from his voice, "will you take the items individually or the case itself?"

"I will take the case." Nodding as he pulled the dark case out from underneath the ancient-looking mirror where it had been hidden, Ren shifted the case to the side before kneeling beside it.

He inspected the closed lock for a moment before peering at Hux as he feigned disinterest, "Would you like to see what's inside?"

Hux paused for a moment before striding to stand behind the kneeling Ren, "Only if you want to show me."

Smirking, Ren unlocked the case and threw it open with a small dramatic flair.

"Is that a blaster?" Hux asked curiously as he craned his neck to peer inside the mysterious case, his eyes immediately zeroing in on the weapon.

Lifting the blaster gently, Ren smiled as he recalled its history, "It was the first blaster I was ever gifted with. Look," he turned it towards Hux and he could faintly make out the word 'Ben' carved expertly into the metal on the side, "my father and Lando had it made for me."

"Lando...Calrissian?" Hux had a vague knowledge of the man, having only heard of him as being a traitor to the Empire in his First Order education.

Smiling again, Ren concentrated on the blaster, "Yes. My mother was furious when she found my child self running around with a blaster but she allowed me to keep it after she found out it was low-powered and not that dangerous." He gently sat it on the ground to his side.

Placing his hand back into the case, Ren then pulled out a medium-sized photograph and as he stared at it, Hux noted that his fond smile had become significantly more sad.

"And what is that?" Hux asked immediately, wanting to keep him from whatever thoughts he was having. Crouching down, he moved to kneel beside Ren so that he could see the photograph fully.

A very young Ren was being held by a figure which was unmistakably his much younger-looking father with his mother standing to his immediate side. Both Solo and General Organa were smiling widely at a man Hux instantly recognised as the famed Luke Skywalker, who had apparently done something humourous to garner such a reaction from the pair.

Unlike his parents, the young Ren was facing the opposite direction and attempting to grab a tuft of the brown fur which was protruding from the only other member of the photograph, a Wookie which Hux faintly recalled being informed was named Chewbacca.

"My family," Ren answered finally as he watched Hux examine the photograph, "Lando took this when I was around three years old and I stole it before I abandoned them. It was impulsive and I hid it away almost as soon as I started training under Snoke. I did not know why i took it but i knew that i did not want him to discover it."

"Understandable," Hux agreed and he intertwined his fingers within Ren's as he allowed the taller man to sift through whatever he was feeling at the moment.

Despite having experienced the softer side of the much-feared Kylo Ren, Hux was still a little surprised by how...sentimental these items seemed to be.

While they had been together under the First Order, Ren spoke little of his family and even when they escaped and married, his family was still a very rare topic of discussion.

His curiosity had been filled and as he considered both items, Hux understood that Ren had made a point of showing him these rare treasures, something he had never shown any other living being, and he felt a secure warmth as he contemplated what it meant.

Realising that he should offer something in return, Hux cleared his throat, "Would you like to see the one item which I keep stored in here?"

Finishing packing his own things away, Ren's head snapped up in surprise, "Yes." He answered, interest clear in his tone.

Jumping to his feet, Hux slid over to one of the covered areas and pulled away the heavy cloth which he had used to hide his small box before quickly snapping it open and pulling out a small photograph. He then retook his previous position.

As he handed the photo over to Ren, Hux could not help but smile as he glanced over it.

Ren accepted it with gentle hands and he scanned the image of the young woman with wide, bright eyes as he took in every inch of it.

"Who is she?" He asked. He had his suspicions but thought it would be better to allow Hux to explain.

"My mother," Hux answered as he watched Ren, "This is the only photo which I think still exists of her." He had always thought his mother was somewhat beautiful with her pale complexion and red-hair. His father had also had reddish hair but Hux liked to think that his particular shade was gifted to him by his mother, "She died not long after I was born so I never had a chance to meet her properly. I have vague memories but nothing solid. My father was always positive about her though, I do suspect that she was the only person he ever truly loved."

"You look like her," Ren commented as he glanced between the the image and his smiling partner, "you have her features."

"I will take that as an intended compliment."

"It was intended." Ren rolled his eyes at Hux's standoffish attitude.

"Good," Hux crossed his arms, "because I would hate to have to kill you after sharing such a tender moment."


End file.
